Master of Science
Addiction Counseling

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JWU Presents at Peer-to-Peer Counseling Education Conference

Associate professors Evan Smarinsky and Yesim Giresunlu, core faculty in JWU Providence’s Counselor Education department, recently presented at the North Atlantic Region for Counselor Educator and Supervision (NARACES) Conference.

Their session, “Creating a Culture of Accountability: Recommendations for CES Programs to Improve Gatekeeping,” was well attended. Smarinsky has followed up with a related publication for counseling professionals in the Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision:

_{Smarinsky, E. C., Brown, C. L., & Popejoy, E. (2023). “Recommendations for Counselor Education and Supervision Programs to Improve Gatekeeping Processes Developed from Doctoral Student Experiences.” Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 17(1), 6.}

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Therapy that Leverages Nature’s Healing Properties

A member of JWU Providence’s Clinical Health Counseling program’s first graduating cohort, Danielle Gagnon ’16 M.S. uses nature as a synergistic component of her counseling strategy. Throughout her career, she has practiced experiential therapeutic modalities and integrating the healing nature of the outdoors.

Gagnon currently practices in Utah, where she became a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. In the last few years, she has primarily worked with adolescents who have struggled with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use and emotional regulation.

Gagnon has trained and is certified in many clinical modalities, including Brain Spotting, Trauma-Focused CBT and SMART Recovery; she is also Safe Zone-certified for working with the LGBTQ+ population. She believes these forms of therapy create a space to allow students to access negative memories or feelings, and then release them, allowing the brain and body to heal.

She has recently joined Evoke Therapy in Utah as a wilderness therapist. Wilderness therapy is an alternative therapy that takes place outdoors; it has been shown to help patients overcome addiction, psychological disorders, stress, and past trauma by exposing them to challenging situations in nature.

When not at work, Gagnon focuses on travel and outdoor adventures, including road trips, hiking, kayaking, and other forms of wilderness exploration.

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JWU MS Counseling Graduate Opens Connecticut Practice

Morgan Ajello, MS, LPC, NCC, a graduate from Cohort 1, is a licensed professional counselor who has opened Omata LLC, a private practice based in Mystic, Connecticut.

Post-graduation counselors must accumulate 2500 to 3500 clinical hours (depending on the state), 100 weekly clinical supervision hours, and pass the NCMHCE exam before they can apply for state licensure. This process takes a minimum of 2 years. Graduates from Cohorts 1-3 continue to work toward licensure. Currently 13 graduates have received their licenses, 2 in Connecticut, 1 in New Jersey and 10 in Rhode Island.

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Faculty Contact

Cheryl Almeida, Ph.D.
Counselor Education Department Chair
401-598-2247
Email

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